Minnesota state lawmaker ends reelection campaign amid accusations of inappropriate behavior with daughter

Minnesota Rep. Jim Knoblach (R) on Friday dropped out of his reelection campaign citing a forthcoming report from MPR News that reportedly detailed accusations from his daughter about his inappropriate behavior toward her.  

Knoblach released a statement denying the allegations and promising to work to mend relations in his family, hours after one of his attorneys denied the allegations in an interview, MPR News reported.

{mosads}”I love my children more than anything, and would never do anything to hurt them. Her allegations are false,” he wrote. “I and other family members have made repeated attempts to reconcile with her in recent years, but she has refused.”

His daughter, Laura Knoblach, claims that her father inappropriately touched her for most of her life, with her earliest memories beginning when she was 9 years old, the outlet reported.

Laura Knoblach, who is 23 years old, claims that she had been confiding about Jim Knoblach’s alleged behavior with her family, close friends and authority figures at her school and church for more than 10 years.

MPR News reported that the St. Cloud police department and Sherburne County Sheriff’s Office began investigating the claims in 2017, but authorities declined to bring charges.

Laura Knoblach made the allegations to MPR News on the record, providing a raft of materials related to her attempts to get help, the outlet noted.

Jim Knoblach’s lawyer, Susan Gaertner, declined to comment further to The Hill. 

The Star Tribune noted that Jim Knoblach’s St. Cloud-area House seat has been a swing district in recent elections and it is likely too close to the November election to remove his name from this year’s ballot. 

The seat, MPR News noted, is a top target for Democrats.

— Updated 6:59 p.m.